


Would That I

by Spare_Parts_Bud



Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Arguing, Established Relationship, F/M, Frank Castle - Freeform, Gift Exchange, Gift Fic, Karen Page - Freeform, Kastle Christmas Secret Santa Gift Exchange, Kastlechristmas, Light Smut, Love, Oneshot, Power Outage, Snow, The Punisher, but they always make up, cabin in the woods, cause that's what frank and karen do, gift for heartonfire, kastle - Freeform, kastlechristmas2k20, post tps2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:27:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28297521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spare_Parts_Bud/pseuds/Spare_Parts_Bud
Summary: Frank and Karen have to flee the city after hunting for information goes a little awry.
Relationships: Frank Castle & Karen Page, Frank Castle/Karen Page, frank castle and karen page
Comments: 16
Kudos: 40
Collections: kastlechristmas2k20





	Would That I

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HeartonFire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeartonFire/gifts).



> Here is my secret santa gift for heartonfire! I was so excited to get her because she writes wonderful fics and I very much enjoy her work! Please check her out here on Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeartonFire/pseuds/HeartonFire or here on Tumblr: heartonfirewrites.tumblr.com. 
> 
> The title is the song 'Would That I' by Hozier. Because I feel like most Hozier songs are a soundtrack to the Kastle fandom.
> 
> This is my first time participating in Kastle Secret Santa and it was a blast, I'm excited to read/see what everyone created.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the fic Erin and have a lovely holiday!

Snow was falling steadily, the heavy wet flakes piling up at an alarming rate outside the single pane window, the cold seeping in and only barely kept at bay by the old furnace fighting to keep up. It had been a gray drive up from New York, the clouds hanging low, threatening to open up the whole way but Karen and Frank managed to make it to the tiny cabin in Maine that would serve as their hideout before it started to come down.

Karen had an elbow resting on the window sill, watching the fat flakes cover the landscape that was slowly fading into undefined shapes in the waning light and trying to ignore the heat of the look she could feel on her back. Frank had spoken very little during the trip, instead keeping his attention on their surroundings, watching for threats or any indication that they had been followed. Now that they had safely settled in to their destination, he could spare the energy to silently brood at her from across the room.

Glancing over her shoulder, Karen tried to gauge the level of Frank’s ire. She was met with an acute stare, Frank slouched back into the armchair with elbows resting on the threadbare arms, strong hands steepled in front of full lips and legs spread - one bouncing slightly. Flushing, she turned back to the window. She was annoyed - for various reasons. The main one being how testy he was being about the whole thing. She had been as careful as she could be, it wasn’t her fault that someone was actually keeping track of the guest list and figured out she wasn’t supposed to be there. Looking back again, her second annoyance was flared when he cocked his head at her with intense narrowed eyes - he looked  _ so  _ good and she cursed herself internally for being more interested in the flex of his jaw or the swell of his bicep rather than the discussion (re: fight) that was brewing. 

With a steadying breath, Karen braced herself before turning in her own chair and facing Frank head on, fixing him with her own challenging stare.

“If you have something to say Frank, just go on and say it. It looks like we are going to be here for awhile and I’d like to be done with the silent treatment sooner rather than later.” It was said in a matter of fact tone not at all reflecting the thrill Karen felt go through her when Frank’s eyes went wide before fully focusing on her once again. Leaning forward, Frank rested his elbows on his knees, keeping his fingers clasped together. The muscles in his forearms jumped and Karen was distracted by toned muscle shifting under tan skin. He had such nice forearms. Karen gave her head a small shake and looked back to his face. Their busy schedules lately had really cut down on physical contact and she was definitely feeling it. She needed to get a grip.

“Why would I have anything to say, Karen?” Frank’s voice was low and rough, with that hard edge he gets when trying to keep his anger and worry in check.

A quick huff escapes Karen as she turns her head to stare into the fireplace, measuring her words carefully. She knew she had a tendency to get defensive, especially when it came to her methods of getting information, so she wanted to be sure that she had her thoughts sorted out before she spoke.

“I had everything under control.” She said petulantly. 

Well, so much for thinking it out.

Frank’s jaw ticked.

“Do you know who was at that party?” His voice became deadly quiet but no less rough.

Karen crossed her arms defensively, “Yes, Frank, that’s why I was there. I needed information.”

“You didn’t think you should let me know? Let me watch your back?” He never looked away from her, his voice staying low and even which was disconcerting. Frank felt things strongly and often needed to yell a little to get his point across before settling down for actual discussion. Karen wasn’t sure how she should proceed.

“It was a swanky upscale Christmas party. It wasn’t that dangerous-” She began dismissively.

“Bullshit.” His voice cracked like a whip. “You know the kind of men that were there. Don’t sit there and act like it was just some uptown Christmas party, you’re smarter than that.”

Pressing her lips together in a thin line, Karen fought back the urge to snap at him. She knew he had been worried and it hadn’t been fair of her to leave him out of the loop. But she didn’t like having to justify herself for doing her job.

“Fine, yes, there were some dangerous people there. I did my research and knew who to steer clear of and  _ I did _ .” She emphasized her last words as he clicked his tongue and shook his head. “I didn’t tell you because I knew you would worry and overreact.”

Frank’s head snapped back to her and she saw the restraint bleeding out of his gaze. She may have made a mistake.

“So you waltzed yourself into a dangerous situation with no back up, not even from Red, and didn’t tell me cause you thought I’d  _ overreact? _ ” His voice had grown louder and Karen could see that he was practically vibrating with the need to stand and pace.

“Well, you immediately drove us several states away to a secluded cabin, so yeah, I thought you might overreact.” She knew it was childish but couldn’t quite stop the words.

The stare he fixed on her was chilling.

“You know they had a van out back waiting for you?”

The air caught in her lungs and her eyes snapped to Frank. His gaze never wavered, pinning her to the spot and daring her to test him.

Karen nearly jumped out of her skin when there was a low groan through the cabin before a pop and then the furnace was silent - the only light left in the cabin was flickering from the fireplace. The power went completely out with a final shudder. She wasn’t sure if the chill seeping into her bones was from the thin glass behind her or the realization that she had miscalculated and been in more danger than she thought.

Frank hadn’t moved, his eyes were still fixed on her, made more intense by the low light and the sharp contrasts the firelight cast on his face. 

“I..uh- I kept my gun close and stuck to groups..” She spoke quietly, a small tremor there as the cold was already starting to make her shiver.

“They knew you were coming, had a whole plan of how they were going to get you out the back without being noticed. They knew what you were going to be wearing and everything, Karen. If I hadn’t already been tracking them I never would have known.”

She had nothing to say to that so she watched him warily.

He apparently didn’t need a response because he continued a moment later, voice dropping low. “Someone knew you were gonna be there. Someone in the case is setting you all up and you walked right into it.”

Embarrassment flushed red across Karen’s cheeks which quickly turned to anger- she had never been particularly graceful at handling shame.

“Well what the hell was I supposed to do, Frank?” She snapped. “This is a big case, a lot of people are impacted and I need to do my job! I-”

“I’m not asking you not to do your job, I’m asking you to let me be there to protect you while you do it.” His voice overpowered hers and sent the room into silence once again. Karen stared at her hands while Frank watched her. “We had an agreement, Karen. When we decided to give this relationship a try we said there would be no secrets.”

A violent shiver went through her, a combination of the air on the back of her neck and the fight shuddering out of her. He was right. Karen had fought tooth and nail to make Frank see they could be together and then she shook one of the main foundations they built. She was used to fighting for herself, it was hard to remember sometimes that she had someone now that she could rely on, always.

Frank must have seen her shaking in the dim light because the severe lines in his face softened a bit and he held out a hand to her.

“C’mere.” he said, a soft entreaty.

Her stubborn streak kept Karen in place for just a moment before she pushed out of her seat and padded to where he sat and slid her hand into his. Another shiver ran through her when his warm hand encompassed hers and he tugged her down to straddle his lap.

Once Karen was settled, Frank buried his fingers in the pale gold of her hair on either side of her face, gently pulling her forehead down to his. He drew in a long breath, eyes closed as he gently stroked her temples with his thumbs. It sent warm familiarity coursing through her, this is how they centered each other, through simple touches and calm quiet. 

“That’s how this works Karen. We communicate. We have each other’s backs. That means you can’t block me out of this stuff cause you think I’ll worry or won’t like it.” The deep smoky timber of his voice sent another shiver skittering down her spine. “We agreed that it was all or nothing. So what’s it gonna be?” His eyes open to stare into hers, the deep coffee brown full of care and love deep enough to drown her, “All?” a gentle brush of his lips over hers, “Or nothing?”

Karen barely let him finish before she caught his lips, dragging her hands up from his shoulders to rest on either side of his neck while she ravaged his mouth.

When she finally managed to break away, it was to drag kisses up his nose before she pressed one last firm kiss to his forehead.

“All.” It was nearly a whisper until she leaned back to see his lips swollen from her kisses and his eyes hazy with desire. “It won’t happen again, Frank.”

He scanned her face, dropping his hand enough to lightly drag his thumb across her bottom lip, studying her for so long Karen had to resist the urge to squirm under his gaze. Finally, his mouth split into a wolfish grin and he leaned back from her a bit.

“Good, then this won’t be wasted.” Holding Karen steady with one arm, Frank leaned over the arm of the chair to root around in the bug out bag he had left there. With a grunt he pulled a neatly wrapped rectangular gift from the bag and held it out to her. Karen was reeling a little from the shift in his mood but soon a smile was tugging at the corners of her mouth as she took the box into her own hands.

“Your gift is back at the apartment. I didn’t really have time to grab it before I was pushed out the door and into a truck for a road trip.” Her smile grew at Frank’s low chuckle.

“I think I can forgive you, go ahead and open it.”

Pulling at the precise and neatly taped corners, Karen peeled away the paper with care until a leather bound case was revealed. She ran her fingers over the top before opening the lid and taking in a quiet little gasp.

A beautiful fountain pen, black and burgundy marbled, lay in the silk lining of the case and it had ‘Karen Page P.I.’ inscribed along the body in flowing script.

“You’re always cussin’ those cheap pens you buy when you’re trying to take notes. I, uh, thought this would work a little better.” Frank was absently rubbing at her thigh as he spoke, his usually strong voice a little sheepish.

For a moment all Karen could do was run her fingers over the smooth surface of the pen and marvel at the man who gave it to her. Frank Castle was capable of incredible violence - he could be distant, self-destructive and angry to say the least and that is what so many people saw if they had a chance to meet him. No one got to see the Frank Castle she did. The one who always made sure her coffee was hot and her gun cleaned. The one who kept her in supply of fresh cut flowers and encouraging words when she lost her way. The one that worshipped her body at night and woke her with sweet kisses in the morning. The one who would give her thoughtful gifts and guard her with his life against all threats. That Frank was all hers.

“It’s beautiful, Frank. Thank you so much. I’m not sure my gift is going to live up to this” Her voice was barely above a whisper and when she met his eyes there was a fire there that warmed her from the chill seeping into the room.

Somehow, Frank managed to pull her even closer, settling Karen squarely over his hips and holding her tightly to him.

“The only thing I need from you is for you to be more careful.” His hands left warm trails over her thighs until they rested against her hips. A dragging kiss along her jaw made Karen gasp and then Frank was lifting the pen case from her fingers, depositing it gently back in the bag before gripping her hips more firmly this time. He guided her in a subtle rocking movement against him that Karen made less subtle when she widened her stance, bearing down against Frank’s growing arousal.

She gave him a small, knowing smirk when he let out a hitched breath at the contact.

It didn’t take long for just enough clothes to be shed to allow the contact they both craved. The small room was filled with quiet gasping breaths, moans and sweet words muffled against skin. The cold couldn’t touch them anymore as the heat was rolling off of them while they worked each other into a hushed frenzy. 

Frank’s hands were firm on Karen’s waist, following her sensual movements while he pushed the lacey cup of her bra away with his nose to pull at a rosy nipple with his teeth. She hissed before he soothed the peak with his wandering tongue. She would later find barely there pink marks sucked into the delicate skin of her breasts and it would fill her with a primal satisfaction that warmed her even more. Karen had a hand buried in his thick hair while the other held the back of his neck, holding on for dear life. She watched him lick a trail up her chest, tilting her head back when his teeth scraped over the sensitive skin of her neck. It didn’t take too long for the heat to combust between them. Karen was grinding down while Frank thrusted roughly into her, lost in kisses full of teeth and tongue as release tore through them both, leaving them panting and sated.

It was much later that Frank extricated himself, tucking Karen into a thick blanket before moving to the dilapidated furnace and tired electrical panel. They could make it through with just the fireplace but actual heat and power would make their stay much more pleasant, so he set to work on getting the cabin back on its feet. It was under an hour before it groaned back to life and Frank was able to return to the cocoon of blankets Karen was currently residing in. She was sure to reward him for his hard work, pulling Frank under her and pressing little kisses in a tantalizing trail down his torso.

It only took a week for the weather and trouble to settle. It took another week for Frank and Karen to wander back into the city, rested, content and ready to face the next danger. 


End file.
